Side by side
Belgium and France
The same question asked of every column. Numbers that break down by age or sex follow the controls; the rest stay country-wide and say so.
The widest gap is At risk of poverty: France 16.3% against Belgium 10.9%, 5.4 points apart.
One question per row
People
Money and work
Family and home
Health and daily life
Education
Public spending
Country and infrastructure
Where €100 of public spending goes
Every euro each general government spends, sorted into the ten functions all 27 countries report against. Open a row for the ranking of 27 and what sits inside it.
Belgium
France
Reference year 2024. Total public spending €100.00 in every column, so the ten shares always add up to one hundred.
Frequently asked: Belgium and France
Which covers more ground: Belgium or France?
The gap is 20.82×: France 638,475, Belgium 30,667. Total area of the country, inland water included. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where do more people live: Belgium or France?
The gap is 5.80×: France 68.9m, Belgium 11.9m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. Eurostat · People & Women in the population · 2025. See the figure
Which is more crowded: Belgium or France?
The gap is 3.59×: Belgium 390, France 109. People per square kilometre of that total area. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where is there more railway per 1,000 km²: Belgium or France?
The gap is 2.73×: Belgium 118.7, France 43.5. Railway line in use for every 1,000 square kilometres of the country. Eurostat · Railway network & Railway density · 2024. See the figure
Where does more energy come from renewables: Belgium or France?
The gap is 9.0 points: France 23.9%, Belgium 14.9%. Share of final energy use that comes from renewable sources. Eurostat · Renewable energy · 2025. See the figure
Where is the risk of poverty higher: Belgium or France?
The gap is 5.4 points: France 16.3%, Belgium 10.9%. Share living on less than 60% of the national median equivalised income. Eurostat · At risk of poverty · 2025. See the figure
Which spends a larger share of its budget on defence: Belgium or France?
The gap is 0.9 points: France 3.2%, Belgium 2.4%. Armed forces, defence equipment, military aid abroad, and defence research. Eurostat · Public spending by function · 2024. See the figure
Where are there more doctors per 100,000 people: Belgium or France?
The gap is 17.7%: France 395, Belgium 335. Practising doctors, per 100,000 residents. Eurostat · Doctors · 2024. See the figure
Where do more people own their home: Belgium or France?
The gap is 9.5 points: Belgium 70.9%, France 61.4%. Share of people living in a home owned by their household, mortgaged or outright. Eurostat · Own their home · 2025. See the figure
Where are there more university students per 1,000 people: Belgium or France?
The gap is 11.2%: Belgium 46.6, France 41.9. People in higher education, per 1,000 residents. Eurostat · University students & Students per 1,000 people · 2024. See the figure
Medians where possible, per-capita averages for spending. This person is a composite of published statistics, not the most common person in the country.